Dr. Brian Murray opened Good Intentions in the Wicker Park neighborhood of Chicago in July, shortly after Gov. Pat Quinn signed a law legalizing medical marijuana in Illinois.

Regulators say Murray cannot operate because the state has yet to implement the medical marijuana laws, which go into the books on Jan. 1. The doctor is under fire for “pre-certification for medical cannabis without conducting physical examinations” and “establishing a legitimate physician-patient relationship.”

Illinois will roll out its medical marijuana program later in 2014 after regulators decide on a licensing process.

Entrepreneurs in new medical marijuana states are increasingly trying to get a jump on the market, opening businesses soon after laws are passed. But as the Good Intentions case shows, jumping the gun before regulations are finalized can paint a target on your back.

Murray argues that he has not been giving out cannabis, but merely establishing relationships with potential patients.

First visits to the clinic involve a review of the state law, and potential patients leave with a medical history form they are required to fill out. If the patient is diagnosed with one of the dozens of ailments that the state has deemed to be treatable with medical marijuana, he or she can come back for a physical examination.

But the state financial department said Illinois law does not allow for medical cannabis clinics or practices that exist solely to offer cannabis certificates.

“We did that to avoid what happened in California, where physician offices or even websites were created solely to provide ID cards for medical marijuana,” Rep. Lou Lang told Crain’s Chicago Business. “It’s a sham.”

7 comments on “1st Illinois MMJ Clinic Under Fire”

The department did EXACTLY the correct thing. We (the citizens of Illinois) must not embarrass ourselves in this groundbreaking law as Illinois can be a model for the rest of the country. This doctor not only jumped the gun, he solicited patients (ethics?) thus not establishing a bona fide relationship.

Be a model? Illinois is far from being the model of anything cannabis. There is no growing being done. (Potential)Patients are dying for lack of safe access to cannabis products and it’s a shame. The sham is that it’s taking this long. We are treating and curing cancer, MS, Epilepsy, chrones and hundreds of other ailments. The law is doing nothing but slowing progress in the free market and it’s at the cost of many people in need. I’m in Denver, and work deeply in the industry nationwide, I know what’s going on in Illinois and it’s more of the same thing, a few idealists patting themselves on the back while creating laws for an industry they are helping to stifle and slow. Legalize it, quit lying to yourselves and your loved ones. It won’t hit home until it effects your home.

It’s true, there aren’t any clinics open in Illinois and it’s already almost September sure it’s great to be qualified but then there’s more bureaucracy will send you a letter to choose which dispenser you want to go to then you send it back then they’ll send you a registration card maybe if you are lucky I just been through my open within 10 miles of you by December and they won’t let you grow in you’ll be alone it’s strictly a for profit off the elderly and sick business don’t get caught growing anything in Illinois unless you’re a multi-million dollar corporation

This is just a bunch of politicians trying to make money off others misfortunes. Illinois is the most corrupt place on earth if they really cared about patients this medicine would of been legal without having to pay or go through all this red tape! It is a shams

Now does anyone wonder why 30% of Illinois citizens want to move out of Illinois. We have stupid political leaders. The law says patients have to have a relationship with the prescribing doctor. None of the doctors in my area will even touch the subject even at this point!!! I am getting help from a group of doctors out of Arizona because our reps are so damn stupid. I am so sick of the lies and deceit!!!